Hunting

Beloved Cecil the lion has been shot and killed by an American dentist >> http://t.co/B7Oxd46Fqi pic.twitter.com/Pheyuwr1IZ

— Discovery (@Discovery) July 28, 2015

Minnesota dentist Walter James Palmer is facing strong backlash for reportedly killing a Zimbabwean lion named Cecil.

Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said Palmer will face charges of poaching, per the Associated Press, while "two Zimbabwean men will appear in court for allegedly helping lure the lion outside of" Hwange National Park where it lived.

According to the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, Palmer paid at least $50,000 to hunt the lion, which had been "fitted with a GPS collar and tracked by the Oxford University research program," as reported by Mary Bowerman for USA Today.

Palmer's practice in Bloomington has received a flood of negative Yelp reviews since the news broke Tuesday. According to Venture Beat's Fletcher Babb, Yelp has been "working to scrub the page of the negative reviews"; however, more than 3,000 remain.

Below are some of the more mild reviews (via Yelp.com):

"I am adding my own review even though I know it will be taken down. Because this man uses the profit he makes from his customer's hard-earned money to kill endangered species for his personal enjoyment. And that's not right. RIP Cecil the Lion."

"Please boycott this dental business. Walter J. Palmer murders endangered animals and is as bas as a poacher. Heartless and without morals. I hope he is punished for this."

"You are a vile and disgusting piece of garbage."

According to the conservation group, Palmer allegedly shot and injured Cecil with a bow and arrow after he and the two guides lured it out of the park by tying a dead animal to a vehicle. Palmer and Co. "then tracked the wounded animal for 40 hours" before shooting and killing him with a gun. The lion was later skinned and beheaded.

The group also said it does not know Palmer's whereabouts; however, the Eden Prairie, Minnesota, resident has released a statement expressing regret and saying he did not know Cecil was protected, as reported by CBS:

I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt. I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study until the end of the hunt. I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.

[h/t USA Today]

A new standard in hunting has been set after a small crew in Alabama caught an alligator exceeding 1,000 pounds in weight Sunday. 

According to Jeff Dute of AL.com, Mandy Stokes, husband John Stokes and brother-in-law Kevin Jenkins and his two kids caught the gator in the Alabama River. An official weigh-in pegged it at 15 feet long and 1,011.5 pounds, making it the biggest gator ever legally killed in the state of Alabama.

As seen in this photo courtesy of Nerdist.com's Kyle Hill, the crew needed a backhoe for support:

AL.com's Sharon Steinmann snapped a close-up photo that captures the gator's immense size:

The crew was well aware it had a big job on its hands, but the gator's measurables weren't obvious initially, per Dute.

"The whole time we were out there, we thought we were in a 16-foot boat. So doing some comparison to the size of the boat, we figured the gator might be 13 feet," John Stokes said. "Then Kevin found out it was a 17-foot boat, and we started looking at that gator again."

Khon2 News' photo illustrates the gator's size once again: 

Telegraph News released a photo of its enormous head:

Mandy Stokes admitted the crew could have easily been in over their heads, according to Dute: "If it wasn't for the grace of God, we never could have done it. At one time during this whole thing, I honestly thought, you know what; we didn't sign up for that."

Mandy said the gator was transported Sunday morning to Ken Owens' Autaugaville taxidermy shop. Once there, it will be skinned out, but after that the Stokes' aren't sure what comes next, per Dute.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

A North Carolina hunter was just looking to feed his family when he went hunting. By the time he was done, he had enough meat to make food for an entire year.

Jett Webb took his .308 caliber rifle with him when he went hunting near the Indian Woods in North Carolina. That's when he saw a 500-pound, eight-foot-long wild boar. 

"The mohawk down the back,” Webb told WNCT 9. “The tusks really lean, the muscular big front end. This is far from a domesticated docile pig that we're used to."

It was the same animal that hunters had been searching for since it was spotted on trail cameras a few years ago. Now Webb can say that he finally took it down.

He talked to WNCT 9 about his find.

"It was very surreal,” Webb said. “It was a shock. It was very humbling to say the least, when you walk up on a beast that big and you say, 'Oh my gosh. I had no idea that there could be something that big running around the woods of Eastern North Carolina.’"

When the hunter killed a similar-sized pig a few years ago, he chose to get it mounted. He is planning on putting this massive beast to good use, and he has already filled two coolers with sausage, pork chops and tenderloin.  

"We’re not going to waste anything,” Webb said. “So that pig will provide food for me and my family for a good year." 

Taking down the massive boar would make any hunter thrilled. Webb was thrilled about his feat, considering he didn't go looking for the 500-pound boar.

"I just set out to put a little meat in the freezer," he said. "But afterwards I was completely blown away."

As with anything spectacular, Webb will have to deal with those who doubt that this is real. He says that the photo is real, which makes this quite the accomplishment.

[WNCT, h/t Yahoo News]

In the "Hunting Food Plots 101" series, I will attempt to put a fairly complex subject—food plots—into layman's terms so that anyone can successfully plant food plots the first time around.  I will cover everything from beginning to end, sharing my past experiences and let you "ride along" throughout the food plot life cycles.  This is by no means an exhaustive list of things to do and to think about when considering food plots.  This series will stick mostly to the basics of food plots. This is the first installment of the series.

When creating food plots to enhance the wildlife habitat of a property, the first few things you need to do are come up with an initial strategy, select your sites based on this strategy and perform soil tests on those sites.

Food Plot Initial Strategy

Why create food plots? 

There are two main types of food plots—nutritional and hunting.  Nutritional food plots are usually larger (an acre or more), and hunting food plots ("kill plots") are smaller (less than an acre).  

Here are some more detailed reasons to create a food plot.

1. To provide nutrition year around, especially during the stress periods of summer and winter
2. Increase the carrying capacity (the amount of deer the habitat can properly provide for)
3. Reduce browsing pressure on native vegetation and enhance forest regeneration
4. To attract deer during hunting season for harvest (kill plots)

Some food plots are created to accomplish all of these, while others may only target one or a couple.  It is up to you as the steward to determine what your property needs.

In example, the land that I live on and hunt most every day during hunting season has large farms adjacent to it, providing abundant soy beans and corn for the deer.

The last couple of seasons the farmers have cut their crops so late that the deer had access to that nutrition well into winter.  This removes the need for me to create acres of food plots, because I certainly can't compete with hundreds of acres of corn and soybeans, and thus would be wasting my money. 

That said, I do have several smaller "kill plots" that provide nutrition almost year around. 

Food Plot Site Selection

When selecting a site to create a food plot, there are many variables to consider.  Here are a few questions that I ask myself when selecting a site.

Why am I creating the food plot?

If it is for a "kill plot," it can be fairly small, and close to your hunting stand. "Kill plots" can be large, especially for rifle hunters, but tend to be created to attract the deer in close for a safe kill.  Find a relatively flat area near your stand that gets at least 4-6 hours of sunlight (your food plot seed choices greatly diminish with less sunlight).  

If you are creating the food plot to increase the carrying capacity of your habitat, you will want to plant a larger area.  Most wildlife consultants will recommend 2-5 percent of your property be encompassed in food plots, but you can actually see an impact with as little as one percent (this, of course, depends on where you live and the available nutrition in your area). Select a relatively flat area that is fairly large.  Most larger food plots are done in open fields and therefore receive many hours of sunlight.

Is the soil and moisture adequate for proper forage growth?

Make sure you select a site that can provide for plant growth.  Soils subject to drought, flooding and erosion are poor choices.  There are many food plot seed choices for clay or sandier soils, but adequate moisture is always a necessity.  

Am I having problems keeping the deer on the property?

On my property, the deer come in during the early morning and late evenings, retreating to the forests (most of which I do not own) during the day.  This greatly minimizes the time they are on my property during daylight hours.

If this sounds like you, I recommend planting the larger nutritional food plots closer to the middle of your property.  This will pull the deer in further, forcing them to expose themselves for longer periods of times.  

In general, food plots should be spread out evenly on your property, so I am not suggesting clump five food plots all together in the middle of your property.  Again, you need to make the decisions based on your goals and circumstances.

Food Plot Soil Test

The soil test is probably the one thing that you have control over, that will save you the most time and money, as well as relief of stress from a poorly performing food plot.

A soil test is simply sending off the dirt from each plot to a lab to determine the pH and fertility of the soil.  They are inexpensive and can be mailed via your local co-op or to any of the major food plot seed companies.

You can buy a core sampler tool, but I just use a shovel.  I pick two or three spots on a given food plot, dig down 6-8 inches and then take my sample, putting it into a plastic bag.  Each bag should be marked so you know which food plot belongs to which bag.  You don't need a lot of dirt and can usually have the results back within a week.

The soil tests will tell you how much lime and fertilizer (as well as the makeup of the fertilizer) you need.  This keeps you from overspending while optimizing your soil for plant growth.

Read more at HuntersClub.com and check out our Food Plot Search at MyFoodPlots.com.

The Virginia General Assembly is back in session, and there are a few proposed bills that would end the current ban on Sunday hunting. 

I've been checking a few online forums and group sites related to the issue, and thought I would compile information into a single document outlining some key points and tools for those interested in supporting the legislation.

The current ban on Sunday hunting is a "blue law" held over from colonial times when several economic activities were banned on Sunday.  Most of these have been reversed over the years (the purchase of alcohol in VA for example), and a good number of states have allowed Sunday hunting for many years. 

Virginia has been slow to change their position on the topic in part to resistance from a wide variety of groups—including anti-hunters, horse enthusiasts, and believe it or not, a few dog-hunting organizations. 

However, this year the topic seems to be carrying more momentum than it has in the past. 

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries released a position paper clearly stating its support of Sunday hunting, and several media outlets (Washington Post, Richmond Times-Dispatch) have been covering efforts to repeal the ban:

The following bills speak to ending the ban in one fashion or another.  It seems that the bills with the best chance for passage are those that lift the ban on private property. 

The current ban is an infringement on property rights, and lifting the ban would allow each property owner to make the decision regarding activities on his or her land—seven days a week. 

While not my personal preference, allowing the ban to remain in effect on public land does appease some groups who use those lands on Sunday.

House Bill 921 would repeal the law for licensed hunters, House Bill 989 would completely repeal the ban, House Bill 369 would lift the ban on private property and House Bill 1002 would only lift the ban in select counties—not something I would support.

In the Senate, Senate Bill 151 would completely repeal the ban and Senate Bill 173 would lift the ban on private property.

To simplify the Virginia legislative process, bills are written by a delegate or senator, and then assigned to a committee that specializes in that area of law.  These committees have to pass the bill—or an amended version of the bill—in order for the bill to proceed to a vote of the complete legislative body. 

In short, these two committees have to approve the bill before any thing else happens. Email addresses for the Senate and House committee members are available through these links. The committees will be meeting this week, so be sure to contact the members as soon as you can.

House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources

Please consider sending an email or otherwise contacting the offices of the committee members listed in those last two links to express your support for the Sunday hunting bills. 

Here are a few ideas to help explain the rationale for repeal.

The current ban is in violation of property rights and restricts a typical worker's hunting to one day a week, which harms hunter numbers, license sales, hunting related commerce and hunter recruitment. 

In the long term, declining hunter numbers would have a negative impact on game management strategies employed by the VDGIF and carried out by Virginia's hunters. 

I have also had a few legislators tell me that Sunday hunting violates their Christian beliefs.  As a Christian, I can appreciate their concern, but I'm quick to point out that it is not the place of the state to direct citizen activity based on individual religious belief.

Hopefully, the committees will pass one of the bills along for a general vote.  If that happens, then you'll want to send a message to your local delegate and senator. 

This site can help you with that. Just click the link that says "Email your legislator now":

Hopefully this year Virginia's legislators will take a positive step in encouraging hunter participation and recruitment by repealing an outdated ban.

Whether you're a hunter about to embark on your first hunting season or a seasoned pro who's been champing at the bit to get back out there, information is essential to the overall success of your hunting season.

Here's a list of 10 must reads for your hunting season.

Cabela's Outfitter Journal Magazine

This magazine isn't exclusively about deer hunting, but it certainly doesn't lack substance on the topic. Cabela's lets you know where the pristine hunting locations are, what gear to bring and provides insightful techniques for when you get there.

Deer Hunting Secrets Exposed: How to Take the Best Buck of Your Life

Many new hunters would be excited just to take a buck at all, but for those with a bit of experience, this tell-all read provides critical and enlightening insight from a true deer-hunting expert. This is purely oriented around helping readers land what every hunter is looking for—the big buck.

The Complete Guide to Hunting

This book is a great read for the beginning hunter. It gives the background knowledge every hunter needs before they begin a hunt. With detailed illustrations and a heavy stress on the basics, this is the perfect book for those looking to get involved for the first time.

www.FieldandStream.com

There is an entire section of this site dedicate solely to whitetails. Articles on gear, hunting techniques and locations are prevalent, but it's the interaction with others on the message board that really sets the community of this site apart. They've also got a collection great pictures from hunters posting galleries of their most recent hunts.

www.DeerHunting.ws

This site has everything the experienced hunter could ever want. With articles on scents, glands, food plots and plantings, a breakdown of every state's hunting and a deer density map, this site will keep an experienced deer hunter entertained for hours on end.

Blade Magazine

Blade Magazine has everything you would ever need to know about knives. The best part about their magazine is that they are always up to date, as they produce 12 issues a year. With general info on knives, tips like blade grinding for upkeep and an array of informative member videos, they are one-stop shopping for everything you would ever want to know about knives.

Petersen's Bowhunting

Petersen's Bowhunting is for the experienced archer. They've got in depth articles on topics like how to store hunting gear, the ins and outs of aiming and everything you would ever want to know about bowhunting. For those serious about bowhunting, Petersen's is a must read.

Christensen's Hunting Illustrated

Hunting Illustrated has some of the best spreads of hunting pictures around. For an entertaining magazine that will "wow" you with pictures that jump off the page and always-intriguing articles, you would be hard pressed to find a better magazine than Hunting Illustrated.

Outdoor Life

This isn't a deer hunting specific publication, but it's certainly worth a read for even the most experienced deer hunter. They've got everything from hunting dogs to an in-depth look at food sources that will help you pinpoint bucks.

GunHunter

This magazine is from the people at Buckmasters. For those who find guns and ammo far more appealing than the crossbow, GunHunter has you covered. They cover one topic without being one-dimensional and provide readers with the most updated readings on shooting.

Whether you're a hunter about to embark on your first hunting season or a seasoned pro who's been champing at the bit to get back out there, information is essential to the overall success of your hunting season.

Here's a list of 10 must reads for your hunting season.

Cabela's Outfitter Journal Magazine

This magazine isn't exclusively about deer hunting, but it certainly doesn't lack substance on the topic. Cabela's lets you know where the pristine hunting locations are, what gear to bring and provides insightful techniques for when you get there.

Deer Hunting Secrets Exposed: How to Take the Best Buck of Your Life

Many new hunters would be excited just to take a buck at all, but for those with a bit of experience, this tell-all read provides critical and enlightening insight from a true deer-hunting expert. This is purely oriented around helping readers land what every hunter is looking for—the big buck.

The Complete Guide to Hunting

This book is a great read for the beginning hunter. It gives the background knowledge every hunter needs before they begin a hunt. With detailed illustrations and a heavy stress on the basics, this is the perfect book for those looking to get involved for the first time.

www.FieldandStream.com

There is an entire section of this site dedicate solely to whitetails. Articles on gear, hunting techniques and locations are prevalent, but it's the interaction with others on the message board that really sets the community of this site apart. They've also got a collection great pictures from hunters posting galleries of their most recent hunts.

www.DeerHunting.ws

This site has everything the experienced hunter could ever want. With articles on scents, glands, food plots and plantings, a breakdown of every state's hunting and a deer density map, this site will keep an experienced deer hunter entertained for hours on end.

Blade Magazine

Blade Magazine has everything you would ever need to know about knives. The best part about their magazine is that they are always up to date, as they produce 12 issues a year. With general info on knives, tips like blade grinding for upkeep and an array of informative member videos, they are one-stop shopping for everything you would ever want to know about knives.

Petersen's Bowhunting

Petersen's Bowhunting is for the experienced archer. They've got in depth articles on topics like how to store hunting gear, the ins and outs of aiming and everything you would ever want to know about bowhunting. For those serious about bowhunting, Petersen's is a must read.

Christensen's Hunting Illustrated

Hunting Illustrated has some of the best spreads of hunting pictures around. For an entertaining magazine that will "wow" you with pictures that jump off the page and always-intriguing articles, you would be hard pressed to find a better magazine than Hunting Illustrated.

Outdoor Life

This isn't a deer hunting specific publication, but it's certainly worth a read for even the most experienced deer hunter. They've got everything from hunting dogs to an in-depth look at food sources that will help you pinpoint bucks.

GunHunter

This magazine is from the people at Buckmasters. For those who find guns and ammo far more appealing than the crossbow, GunHunter has you covered. They cover one topic without being one-dimensional and provide readers with the most updated readings on shooting.

It’s time once again folks, for one of the most exhilarating sports in the world, whitetail deer hunting.

While archery season has come and gone in many areas of the nation, there are a certain few that are allowing extended archery, but the majority of the USA is gearing up for rifle season.

All states have different ways of doing things and the seasons change from place to place, but there are similarities in the deer and how to hunt them from Pennsylvania to Texas.

We’re here to show you the best way to get that trophy buck you have been dreaming all year about. Good luck and safe hunting!

Rutting Season: Starting in mid September or so, depending on the area you’re in, the best time to start tracking the actions of deer is during rutting season, and it's key to start watching tendencies of deer starting far before you ever step foot in the woods for a hunt.

Deer are ready to mate around this time each year, and they will be shedding the velvet that has grown on their antlers during the year. It’s during this period that you want to be observing the trees around trails where you will hunt for rubs.

Rubs are scrapes on trees where deer grind off the velvet on their antlers and expose the bone antlers. These rubs happen along common pathways the deer use to obtain food and these spots can be used as great reference points to find your hunting location.

Great Link: Field and Stream’s Rut Report

Keep Warm: While many hunters worry first about the weapon they carry into the woods, that's where they make their first big mistake. Hunting season is late fall and winter and avoiding the cold at all costs is the most important part of the hunt.

If you are cold and sitting for long periods of time, your body will start having trouble functioning and you will not be able to last as long in the woods as your fellow hunter who has the proper attire.

The key for me has always been layering your clothes so that the temperature doesn’t have the chance to permeate your clothing. Another key has been the insulated one-piece suits that allow for good functioning but still keep you cozy.

The most important body parts to keep warm should be your extremities and your head because that’s where most of the heat is released from your body, but when covering your head be sure to make sure you can still hear what’s going on around you.

Great Link: Cabela’s the Premier spot for Hunting Gear

Finding the Perfect Spot: Finding the right spot is going to take at least one, and preferably more, trips to the spot you want to hunt for the main portion of hunting season. Pick a general area in public hunting lands or on private property you have secured permission to hunt on, and scout the land.

All of the technology in the world can’t make up for a good, old-fashioned walk where you leave the cell phone at home, keep your mouth shut and eyes open and study the land.

Deer are creatures of habit, and if you can pick the location where they will appear in the morning hours or the evening hours, you will be in the right spot to take that prized buck.

Great Link: Some Really Great Hunting Tips

Patience: This will be the biggest key to hunting every single year you decide to try to take the trophy bucks. Big deer aren’t all around us, but the key is putting yourself in the best position to have a chance at seeing the monster buck.

You won’t get a monster deer on your first time in the woods, heck; there is a good chance that you could not see a deer the whole day at times. Don’t worry, though, there’s always tomorrow.

In a fast paced world of instant gratification, hunting hearkens back to a time where you waited patiently for things and enjoyed the free time. Hunting is an old sport and people who don’t understand that will miss the point of the adventure and the majesty.

Great Link: Learn to Be Patient!

Follow @Donald_Wood

While deer hunting isn’t as accepted in the mainstream today as it was in the past, the culture of hunting and hunters is still very much alive and thriving in the United States.

Hunting white-tailed deer is usually a tradition in families in rural areas. But many hunters come from generations of hunters, and no matter where they make residence they will find a spot to hunt.

As a hunter myself, there is no sensation like the thrill of the chase and the adrenaline rush of getting that big buck, and these following states are the best for getting big bucks.

1. Iowa

While the number of deer in Iowa isn’t nearly as abundant as the other states on this list, Iowa will produce deer far bigger than anything you will find anywhere else in the USA.

Whether it’s the abundance of farmland and consistent food sources for the deer, the estimated 200,000 deer in the state will be some of the biggest bucks taken each season.

Iowa has taken the initiative several other states have taken in that they are controlling and limiting the number and size of the deer a hunter can take to ensure the population stays strong but controlled.

Overpopulation of deer in a state predicated on farming would cause problems for the farmers and the deer.

Great Link: Iowa’s Record Bucks

2. Ohio

While it was hard to put one state above or below the next, Ohio was as close to being No. 1 as any state on this list besides Iowa.

Ohio is one of the best places in the entire nation to hunt bucks, and the sizes of the bucks taken from this state are rivaled by few others. Monster buck after monster buck gets pulled from these woods, and if you have a chance to go on a hunt in Ohio, take the chance.

Not only does Ohio boast the second biggest non-typical buck ever recorded, the state has the right terrain, habitat, crops and genetics that consistently produce big bucks. You won't regret this experience.

Great Link: Guide to Hunting Ohio

3. Texas

The wide open spaces of Texas have been known for many animals, but for white-tailed deer hunters Texas is a hunting Mecca. While I don’t agree with hunting deer at confined ranches with guaranteed kills, Texas is the capital of these phenomena.

With over 2 million acres of huntable land (both private and public) across the state of Texas, there is plenty of room for deer to grow and develop into the kind of trophy bucks hunters are looking for.

With over 2,600 deer taken last season on record, the plethora of deer in the state allows for a consistent revival of the population year after year and a consistent quality of the hunt.

Great Link: Photos from One of the Hundreds of Hunting Ranches in Texas

4. Kentucky

Kentucky is one of the must-go places on this list because of the beautiful scenery and the even more beautiful abundance of big bucks.

The Bluegrass State boasts 1,602,978 acres of state game lands or 6.3 percent of the land in the state that can be used for hunting. That makes for plenty of room for deer to grow during the year, and the possibility of finding the big one isn’t too far-fetched.

Daniel Thomas of eHow is reporting about the kind of yield Kentucky has come to expect:

[Kentucky] ranks in the top five nationwide for whitetail deer production and falls at number two in the harvest of "specialty" types of bucks, the Boone and Crockett bucks, per square mile.

Not only is there an abundance of deer and land to hunt on, Kentucky has friendly people  known to offer trips and hunting excursions to outsiders looking to hunt.

Great Link: The Best Counties in Kentucky for Deer Hunting

5. Pennsylvania

While Pennsylvania has been known for Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, the truth of the matter is that some of the biggest bucks taken each year come from the mountains of Pennsylvania.

As a Pennsylvania resident and an avid hunter, there is no place in the United States I would rather hunt than my state and seeing the deer plucked from the woods each year keeps me coming back.

The biggest buck taken in the history of the state was in Bradford County, which is conveniently where my cabin is located, and the area around northern Pennsylvania is a hotbed of huge bucks with over a million acres of state-commissioned hunting land.

Great Link: Pennsylvania Game Commission

Follow @Donald_Wood

One of the most important—and simple—things a deer steward can do before the hunting season begins is to conduct a trail camera survey on their property.  The information gathered from these surveys is crucial in improving the health of the deer as well as the habitat that they live in.

Note: I am not a wildlife biologist.  For specifics and questions for your particular property, contact your state's wildlife biologist to get their opinion and expertise.

Why is a trail camera survey important?

One of the things that a properly performed trail camera survey will tell you is how many acres you have per deer (deer density).  This is important because it will tell you if your habitat can sustain the current population of deer (carrying capacity).

The ideal deer density is different for every location, but is generally 20-30 acres per deer.  If you have high deer density, you may want to adjust your harvest accordingly.  If you have low deer density, it is possible you may need to increase the amount of forage on your property.  

Another important metric derived from a trail camera survey is the "buck-to-doe" ratio.   Ideally, this ratio should be 1:1, does-to-bucks.  On many properties in the US, it is 2:1 does-to-bucks, and sometimes 3:1.  In some instances, you may want to perform an enhanced doe harvest in order to get the ratio closer to 1:1.  

When should one perform a trail camera survey?

A summer trail camera survey should be conducted in late August, early September.

The reason you should not perform these at any other time is that you have a much better chance of capturing all the fawns in your area, giving you more accurate results.  Any earlier and there is a chance that the fawns are still staying in once place, and are not travelling with their mother.  Any later and it is hunting season or close to it. 

What are the steps to conducting a trail camera survey?

There are few simple steps that must be taken to maximize success.

Continue reading at HuntersClub.com